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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Tholin Azhagadiyo Song

From Veli Thandiya Velladu · 1980

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
Vani Jairam
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Veli Thandiya Velladu1980

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Tholin azhagadiyoIs it the beauty of the shoulders?
Thulli varum udaladiyoIs it the bounding body?
Paal pol mugamadiyoIs it the milk-like face?
Paruvamennum sugamadiyoIs it the pleasure called youth?
Female
Naalum izhantha pinnaeAfter losing everything day by day,
Naanirukkum nilaiyadiyoIs this the state I am in?
Nadamaadum thirkalukkuFor the moving puppets,
Naayaganin kalaiyadiyoIs it the art of the master creator?
Female
Pachai vayalinil vaalai pennaeYoung girl in the green field,
Oru paravai paranthu vaalai pennaeA bird flying by, young girl!
Pachai vayalinil vaalai pennaeYoung girl in the green field,
Oru paravai paranthu vaalai pennaeA bird flying by, young girl!
Female
Achamilaamalae odiyathaalBecause it ran without any fear,
Indru ambalam yaeruthu vaalai pennaeToday it stands exposed in public court, young girl!
Achamilaamalae odiyathaalBecause it ran without any fear,
Indru ambalam yaeruthu vaalai pennaeToday it stands exposed in public court, young girl!
Female
Pachai vayalinil vaalai pennaeYoung girl in the green field,
Oru paravai paranthu vaalai pennaeA bird flying by, young girl!
Female
Saththiyam vittathu vaazhkkaiyilaeTruth was abandoned in life,
Adhu dharmam maranthathu aasaiyilaeAnd righteousness was forgotten in desire.
Saththiyam vittathu vaazhkkaiyilaeTruth was abandoned in life,
Adhu dharmam maranthathu aasaiyilaeAnd righteousness was forgotten in desire.
Female
Aththanaiyum indru thaththuvamaanathuAll of that has turned into philosophy today,
Aandavanaar thantha maeniyilaeIn the body given by God Almighty.
Aththanaiyum indru thaththuvamaanathuAll of that has turned into philosophy today,
Aandavanaar thantha maeniyilaeIn the body given by God Almighty.
Female
Pachai vayalinil vaalai pennaeYoung girl in the green field,
Oru paravai paranthu vaalai pennaeA bird flying by, young girl!
Achamilaamalae odiyathaalBecause it ran without any fear,
Indru ambalam yaeruthu vaalai pennaeToday it stands exposed in public court, young girl!
Female
Aaru kulangalil neenthumadiIt swims in six ponds,
Idhu anantham endrathai koorumadiSaying that this is true bliss!
Aaru kulangalil neenthumadiIt swims in six ponds,
Idhu anantham endrathai koorumadiSaying that this is true bliss!
Female
Nooru kulangalil neenthiyapinAfter swimming in a hundred ponds,
Adhu noyurum aattril kulikkuthadiIt bathes in a diseased river!
Nooru kulangalil neenthiyapinAfter swimming in a hundred ponds,
Adhu noyurum aattril kulikkuthadiIt bathes in a diseased river!
Female
Pachai vayalinil vaalai pennaeYoung girl in the green field,
Oru paravai paranthu vaalai pennaeA bird flying by, young girl!
Achamilaamalae odiyathaalBecause it ran without any fear,
Indru ambalam yaeruthu vaalai pennaeToday it stands exposed in public court, young girl!
Female
Pachai vayalinil vaalai pennaeYoung girl in the green field,
Oru paravai paranthu vaalai pennaeA bird flying by, young girl!
Female
Mangalam vittathu kungumam vittathuAuspiciousness was lost, kumkum was lost,
Manjalum vittathadiTurmeric too was lost!
Mangalam vittathu kungumam vittathuAuspiciousness was lost, kumkum was lost,
Manjalum vittathadiTurmeric too was lost!
Female
Adhu maananum vittathu nyaanamum vittathuHonor was lost, wisdom was lost,
Vaazhvaiyum vittathadiLife itself was lost!
Adhu maananum vittathu nyaanamum vittathuHonor was lost, wisdom was lost,
Vaazhvaiyum vittathadiLife itself was lost!
Female
Konja vayathinil konji magizhnthathuWhat was fondly cherished in youth,
Kolam izhanthathadiLost its original beauty!
Konja vayathinil konji magizhnthathuWhat was fondly cherished in youth,
Kolam izhanthathadiLost its original beauty!
Female
Indru koyilin vaasalil nindrathadiToday it stands at the entrance of the temple,
Oru kolgai illaathapadiWithout any guiding principle!
Indru koyilin vaasalil nindrathadiToday it stands at the entrance of the temple,
Oru kolgai illaathapadiWithout any guiding principle!
Female
Thaaliyirukkindra thaarangalukkoruFor wives with sacred wedlock thread,
Saththiyam undadiyoThere is a truth and sanctity!
Kula dharmam maranthaval veedhikkum vanthathumWhen she who forgot family ethics comes to the street,
Thaththuvam thaanadiyoIs it all just philosophy?
Female
Idhu veliyai thaandiya vellaaduThis is a white goat that crossed the fence,
Ini veridam yaedhadiyoWhere else can it go now?
Idhu veliyai thaandiya vellaaduThis is a white goat that crossed the fence,
Ini veridam yaedhadiyoWhere else can it go now?
Female
Adi vellai manam kondaOh friend with a pure white heart,
Thozhi en paathaiyai ullaththil vaiyadiyoKeep my path in your mind as a lesson!
Adi vellai manam kondaOh friend with a pure white heart,
Thozhi en paathaiyai ullaththil vaiyadiyoKeep my path in your mind as a lesson!
Female
Kattazhagu eththanai naal vaalai pennaeHow many days will physical beauty last, young girl?
Adhu kadavulukkuththaan theriyum vaalai pennaeOnly God knows that, young girl!
Kattazhagu eththanai naal vaalai pennaeHow many days will physical beauty last, young girl?
Adhu kadavulukkuththaan theriyum vaalai pennaeOnly God knows that, young girl!
Female
Kattiyavan oruvanukku vaazhkkai pattaalIf one dedicates life to the man she married,
Antha kadavulaiyum vendridalaam vaalai pennaeShe can even conquer God Himself, young girl!
Kattiyavan oruvanukku vaazhkkai pattaalIf one dedicates life to the man she married,
Antha kadavulaiyum vendridalaam vaalai pennaeShe can even conquer God Himself, young girl!
Female
Ippozhuthu purigirathu vaalai pennaeNow I understand, young girl!
Kannil yaedhetho therigirathu vaalai pennaeSomething unclear appears before my eyes, young girl!
Appozhuthu raththathil aarppaattam irunthathadiBack then, there was a frenzy in the blood,
Aduththa kadhai puriyavillai vaalai pennaeI did not realize what story would follow, young girl!
Female
Ketta pinbu nyaanam vanthathuWisdom came only after being ruined,
Vaalai pennaeYoung girl!
Naanum pattinaththaar aagivittaenI too have become like Pattinathar,
Vaalai pennaeYoung girl!
Female
Ketta pinbu nyaanam vanthathuWisdom came only after being ruined,
Vaalai pennaeYoung girl!
Naanum pattinaththaar aagivittaenI too have become like Pattinathar,
Vaalai pennaeYoung girl!
Female
Vittuvida poguthuyir vitta pinnaeLife is about to depart, after it leaves,
Neeyirunthu suttu vida vendumadi vaalai pennaeYou must stay and cremate me, young girl!
Suttu vida vendumadi vaalai pennae…..You must cremate me, young girl...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This poignant song expresses a profound moral lament and spiritual realization sung from the perspective of a woman reflecting on her tragic life choices. By abandoning righteousness, honor, and traditional values in pursuit of fleeting desires, she crossed social and ethical boundaries (symbolized as a 'goat crossing the fence'). The lyrics trace her journey from youthful arrogance and physical beauty to ultimate downfall, loss of dignity, and disease. Penned by Kannadasan, the song emphasizes the transience of physical beauty and worldly pleasures. Ultimately, the speaker attains ascetic wisdom (comparing her enlightenment after ruin to the saint Pattinathar), offering her tragic story as a cautionary lesson to young women about staying true to ethics and fidelity.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Idhu veliyai thaandiya vellaadu

The phrase 'veliyai thaandiya vellaadu' (a white goat that crossed the fence) serves as a central metaphor for a woman breaching societal and moral boundaries.

Monaai (Initial Alliteration)

Pachai vayalinil vaalai pennae / Oru paravai paranthu vaalai pennae

Repetition of initial consonant sounds ('P') across line starts.

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Mangalam vittathu kungumam vittathu / Manjalum vittathadi

Rhyming of the second letter 'nga' / 'nja' across consecutive lines.

Allusion

Naanum pattinaththaar aagivittaen

Direct reference to Pattinathar, the famous Tamil ascetic saint who abandoned wealth and worldly desires upon attaining enlightenment.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kannadasan frequently drew upon classical Tamil philosophical tropes and ascetic traditions in his lyrics. The reference to Saint Pattinathar echoes a recurring theme in Kannadasan's works—that true wisdom often dawns only after worldly ruin and total loss.

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